The present invention relates generally to heads for applying fluid to a surface, and in the preferred form, an applicator head for applying paint.
In order to enhance the beauty of and protect the surface of various items in his environment, man has applied various protective coatings thereto. Most commonly the coating applied is in the nature of a paint, however numerous other coatings such as shellac, varnish, white wash, or oil finishes are also used in certain instances. When the coating is applied to a large uniform surface, it is necessary that an even layer of the coating be expeditiously applied covering the entire surface with a minimum amount of spillage or spatter to adjacent surfaces. The application of the varying amounts of coating to surfaces often requires the operator to make multiple passes of the applicator head over the surface being coated to produce a uniform film of the coating. When multiple passes are not made to level the coating film, unsightly drips, runs, or "lace-curtains" often result. In addition, the application of an uneven layer of coating causes, in some instances, uneven life of the coating manifested by premature chipping or peeling of the coating from the surface. Multiple passes over the coated surface require increased operator time spent on coating a given surface. The increase in time both decreases the operator's productivity and increases the cost of coating the surface.
The art is replete with various attempts at solutions to the problems inherent in applying solutions to a surface evenly, uniformly, quickly, and easily. However, the known prior art has not been able to effectively overcome the problems in this area.